Poinsettia plant `441`

ABSTRACT

Poinsettia `441` is a stiff-stemmed, early flowering cultivar with dark red flower bracts. It has dark green, medium size foliage and a strong branching habit. The plant height is medium and some chemical growth retardants may be needed to control the height of flowering plants. The appearance and cultural requirements are very similar to Poinsettia `Lilo` (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,694). However, stronger self-branching traits and better post-production keeping qualities make `441` a more desirable commercial cultivar than `Lilo`.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

Poinsettia cultivar `441` is an induced mutant of a Poinsettia seedlingdesignated `E-60`. The new cultivar is similar to `E-60` in havingstiff, erect stems. However, cultivar `441` is strongly self-branchingwhile the parent plant `E-60` is notably less self-branching. Cultivar`441`s post-harvest qualities are superior to those of `Lilo` describedin U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,694.

This new Poinsettia cultivar `441` originated as an induced mutation ofa seedling designated as `E-60` which resulted from cross pollination inmy greenhouse in Encinitas, Calif. It was selected because of its earlyflowering, medium stature, dark red flower bracts and dark greenfoliage, prolific branching and long post-production keeping; traitswhich distinguish it from other Poinsettia cultivars and seem to make ita desirable plant for commercial greenhouse production. `441` has manyof the same desirable traits and appearances as Poinsettia `Lilo`.However, greenhouse observations and post-production trials indicatedstronger self-branching and almost no post-production bract edge burn.These characteristics are highly desirable in a commercially growncultivar, and represent improvements over the cultivar `Lilo`. Afterselection, stem cuttings of this plant were vegetatively reproduced fortest purposes in Encinitas, Calif., and clones of this plant weresubjected to successive generations of vegetative propagation whichdemonstrated that its distinctive characteristics hold true fromgeneration to generation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

Poinsettia `441` is illustrated in the accompanying color photographs.

The upper photo is a side view of 3 single stem plants per pot in fullflower. Evidence of strong self-branching traits can be observed by thenumerous flowering axillary branches on these unpinched plants.

The lower photo is a top view of the same plant showing flower and bractformation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of this new poinsettia asobserved in my greenhouse in Encinitas, Calif., during December 1989.Observations were recorded from flowering plants, grown as 3 unpinchedplants per pot. The pot was 14 cm. in diameter and 11 cm. in height.Color designations are compared to the 1986 edition of R.H.S. ColourChart, first published in 1966 by The Royal Horticultural Society,London, England.

THE PLANT

Origin: Sport of a `E-60`; this sport was induced by application of theprocedures set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,724,276 to the seedling parent.

Classification:

Botanic.--Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.

Common name.--Poinsettia.

Cultivar name.--`441`.

Form: Shrub.

Height: Medium.

Growth habit: As a single stemmed plant, upright and medium height. Thisheight is typically taller than `Gutbier V-10`, which under the samegrowing conditions may attain an overall height of 35-36 cm (short),while a pot of `441` would have a height of 42 cm (medium). The stemsare stiff and self supporting, in contrast with `V-10` which may not beself-supporting if growing conditions are too warm or the growing mediumis soft. The application of a chemical growth retardant may be needed torestrict height for commercial pot plant production. I observed 3 plantsin a pot with an overall height of 42 cm. and an overall width of 45 cm.The bract diameter of individual flowers was 32 cm.

Branching: Poinsettia `441` has strong self-branching traits. Axillarybranches will develop and terminate in a flower without pinching. Moreof these axillary branches develop on `441` than on similar cultivar`Lilo`. It may be desirable to pinch `441` and remove all terminaldominance. then 6-8 axillary branches may develop uniformly and at afaster rate. In contrast, pinching of `Lilo` results in 5 branches.

Growth rate: Rooting of stem cuttings occurs in 12-18 days underintermittent mist. The plant will flower in about nine weeks undercontinuous long night conditions and night temperatures of about 16-18degrees C.

Foliage: The foliage is clean and uniformly dark green from bottom totop of the plant. The color is much darker than RHS 139A. On the otherhand, the leaf color of `Gutbier V-10` while darker than foliage onother cultivars and similar in tone to `441`, is distinctly lighter thanRHS 139A, the darkest green color available in the RHS series colorcharts. The leaves are of medium size, leaf blades typically being about12-14 cm. long and about 9-10 cm. wide with leaf petioles about 6 cm.long.

Leaf

Shape.--Typical leaves are ovate with obtuse bases and acuminate tips.Leaf margins are entire or somewhat lobed with 1 or 2 indentations oneach side of the leaf blade.

Color.--Upper side -- Dark green, darker than RHS 139A. Underside --Green, between RHS 147A and RHS 147B.

Retention.--The foliage lasts extremely well under low light intensitiesin the consumer's home. `441` has superior leaf retention, equal to orbetter than `Lilo` or `V-10`.

Bracts: Generally there are 18-24 uniformly colored bracts of varioussizes subtending the cyathia. The primary bracts have blades typically14-16 cm. long and 8-10 cm. wide with petioles about 5 cm. long.

Shape.--Bracts are mostly ovate to elliptic with acute bases andacuminate tips. Primary bracts are slightly lobed with 1 or 2indentations on either side of the bract. Secondary bracts have entiremargins.

Color.--Upper side -- Dark red, darker than RHS 46B, near RHS 46A.Underside -- Red, darker than RHS 45D near RHS 45C. By comparison, thebract color of `Gutbier V-10` is a bright red, between RHS 46A, 46B and45A on the upperside and near RHS 45B on the underside.

Retention.--Bract retention is strong, even under low light intensitiesin consumer's homes. `441` also exhibits strong resistance to drying or"burning" of bract margins, and is superior to `Lilo` in this respect.

Flowers: Generally, 15-21 cyathia (flowers) are present when the plantis in full bloom. Each cyathium is about 7-8 mm long and about 5 mmwide, green in color and fringed with red at the distal end. A singleyellow nectar cup protrudes from the side of each cyathium. The flowerpedicel is green and about 7-8 mm in length. The stamens protruding fromthe cyathia are red.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct Poinsettia cultivar,substantially as herein shown and described, characterized by its earlyflowering, medium stature, dark red flower bracts and dark greenfoliage, and prolific branching.